Saint Michael's College Liturgical Choir and Ensemble to sing in Troy, Albany and Loudonville, N.Y., January 31, February 1 and February 2

On their annual winter tour, 35 members of the Saint Michael's College Liturgical Ensemble and Singers will offer music for Catholic Mass at two Catholic high schools and two churches as they visit Troy, Albany and Loudonville, N.Y.

The group will travel from the college in Burlington, Vermont, one of the top 10 college towns in America. They will be joined by musical director Jerome Monachino ’91, Associate Director of Edmundite Campus Ministry for Liturgical Ministry, who directs 11 instrumentalists (four undergrads, seven alumnae) including guitars, keys, two trumpets, trombone, two violins, bass, drums, percussion; and 24 singers (10 adult members, 14 students). The St. Mike’s musicians also will be accompanied on their trip by the Rev. Brian J. Cummings, SSE ’86, Director of Edmundite Campus Ministry at Saint Michael’s. Father Cummings will say Mass at the four locations.

“We have been doing these trips every year for 15 years—it is a great experience to take our ministry on the road to meet high school students, alumni and friends of Saint Michael’s,” Father Cummings said. “It gives our students a deeper sense of mission and of spreading God’s Word in song as members of the choir.” Fr. Cummings is a member of the Society of St. Edmund www.sse.org , the religious community of priests and brothers that founded Saint Michael's College in 1904. He said this year’s appearances at the Catholic high schools nicely coincide with the end of the nationally observed Catholic Schools Week.

The program to be performed by the St. Mike’s musical group at all Masses includes several freshly composed tunes by director Monachino, who beyond his duties with the choir is an accomplished jazz performer, composer and recording artist.

Program

Pieces for Masses on the choir’s upcoming tourare:

Entrance: Come Lord Jesus (Monachino), a new composition this year.

Psalm 24: Who is the King of Glory? (Monachino), a new composition this year.

Song for Presentation of the Gifts: The Lord is my Shepherd (Monachino) -- an older composition by the director that features an instrument called an African Balifon

Communion: Taste and See (Moore).

Recessional: Let the Fire Fall (Misulia)

The Saint Michael’s Liturgical Choir and Ensemble performs in its own eclectic and popular musical style, using a combination of African, Brazilian, and American Swing flavors to compliment traditional hymn singing. Guided by their mission of inspiring sung prayer, they perform with great enthusiasm. The group was one of the select few choirs invited to perform for Pope John Paul II at World Youth Day in Denver, Colorado, in 1993.

Saint Michael's is a selective Catholic college of approximately 2,000 students studying the liberal arts and sciences on a scenic 440-acre campus just outside of Burlington, Vermont.
more

About Saint Michael's College

Saint Michael's College delivers a compelling, world-class education in a beautiful Vermont setting. Our connected community allows students to form close relationships with each other and accomplished faculty members, providing an ideal learning environment where they have the space and support to challenge themselves and their peers. As a fully residential college located minutes from Burlington, one of the country's top-rated college towns, Saint Michael's offers an unparalleled mix of academic, spiritual, cultural, service and wilderness experiences.